I'm occasionally chilling in JaxWolf4's (Author of Nah, I'd Adapt) Discord Server. It's a chaotic lobotomy mess. Not for the faint of heart.
Here's the link:
Disc: HrPrTeam
(Special Credit to QuilltedBear for the Beta Reading Labor!)
-Story Start-
Battle Building A.
The First Battle Trial:
Team D - Katsuki Bakugo & Shoto Todoroki.
Team D stood at the foot of the tall building in their Hero Costumes, standing with gleeful anticipation as they awaited All Might's announcement.
"Don't stand in my way, Half and Half. The big bastard's mine." Bakugo grinned wildly, pointing a thumb at himself.
Without expressing his agreement, Todoroki replied enigmatically yet simply, "If it comes to that." A thin line on his face.
...
Team G - Aoi Todo & Minoru Mineta.
The two disproportionately sized boys stood beside the 'Secret Weapon', a vast and empty concrete room surrounded them.
Aoi stood with a stoic expression on his face.
Whilst his teammate...
"WE'RE SO FUCKED!" Mineta groaned loudly, tears welling in his eyes.
Deep down, he cursed his circumstances.
While he was teamed up with the current Number One...
"THEIR QUIRKS ARE TOO OVERKILL! THIS IS WAY BEYOND MY WEIGHT CLASS AND-"
A slap echoed, as the small figure of Mineta was flung a few feet away by Aoi's disappointed backhand slap, landing on the coarse ground in a rough landing.
-------------------------------
In the control room, the collective Class 1-A deadpanned at Aoi's act and Bakugo's aggression, having seen both simultaneously on screen.
All Might immediately reprimanded, clicking on the communication device in his ear, "Young Todo! There will be no violence amongst teammates!"
Aoi snorted and replied through his own, "Villains bickering and fighting amongst themselves is common, is it not?"
"Moreover, it was but a simple administer of shock to calm his nerves."
All Might had no retort but heaved a sigh while shaking his head.
Yuji, for some reason, appeared most worried.
Something his current teammate noted, "Itadori-san, what troubles you?"
Yuji kept that grim line on his face, "This might devolve into a one versus three."
His tone was audible, and some were quick to conclude that...
"He's going to ask him his type, ribbit?" Tsuyu tilted her head in inquiry, approaching Yuji alongside her hulking teammate Shoji.
...
"Yeah." Yuji internally prayed for Mineta's safety.
Turning to look at the sturdy figure of All Might, Yuji innocently inquired again, "All Might-sensei! You will stop matches if things get too heated, right?"
Everyone turned to look at the Number One Hero.
"Of course! Safety is the number one priority in U.A.!" He gestured with a bright smile and laughter.
In a way, for both this match and the future ones, the students of 1-A felt a sense of relief at that.
No one is getting their bones broken, or anything, at least.
-------------------------------
Recovering quickly with a reddish hue and a stinging pain on his cheek, Mineta cried out, "OI! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" He yelled from the ground with an accusing finger.
"Get a hold of your bearings. We must discuss strategy." Aoi stoically retorted, with folded arms.
With a twitch of his eye, the prior nerves of Mineta were exchanged with dismay and restrained anger.
In a way, Aoi had managed to clear Mineta's fears - temporarily that is.
Pointing at himself, Mineta asked, "You mean our Quirks? What would my Quirk be able to do against the-"
"No. I already know what your Quirk does, it is not complicated."
"This following question is critical for our strategy, reply to it with the utmost care and sincerity."
"Huh?" Mineta blinked, having arrived late to Bakugo's earlier incident with Aoi.
"Do not disappoint me." He warned.
To which Mineta gulped.
"What is your type of woman? If you like men, that's fine too."
...
A titanic weight dropped onto Mineta's shoulders, as the brunt of Aoi's expectant and piercing look made his body shudder, his knees weak from the force.
With a calming breath, he lowered his head, to contemplate the deep question for a moment with the utmost seriousness.
Mineta raised his head with transparent confidence and a smirk, "Any short girl with voluptuous proportions, but if you were to ask me about ass or tits? Ass of course!"
Pointing at Aoi, he declared with a deranged, perverted grin:
"FINAL ANSWER! A SHORT GIRL WITH A BIG, FAT ASS!"
...
A shiver and a profound chill went down Aoi's spine.
His narrowed glare was exchanged with a wide-eyed look of unspeakable shock.
A gasp left his lips.
And within the depths of his immaculate mental CPU...
Forgotten memories flooded his mind...
-------------------------------
"Another round of pancakes, my little brothers." Choso's warm voice reverberated in their small yet homey abode.
In his hands were two plates of 'chocolate-flavored' pancakes.
Set in front of the seated Aoi and Yuji, the two nodded in gratitude.
"Thanks, Choso!"
"Many thanks, elder brother." Aoi smiled in acknowledgment, a fork in his hand as he was about to dig in.
However...
His phone rang.
With a displeased look, he drew out to survey the Caller ID.
'Who would dare bother...' He checked his screen, only to notice...
His eyes widened, "T-Takada-chan..." He whispered.
"Take the call, we'll wait for you." Yuji shook his head helplessly.
"Mhm." Aoi nodded and quickly got up, answering the phone with a shaky grip.
"T-Takada-chan? To what do I owe the honors for such a-"
"I have received some grave yet important news, Aoi-kun." She gravely announced.
...
Aoi's features hardened, his expression chiseled and tougher than steel, "Tell me everything."
...
What followed was a lengthy conversation, to which Yuji and Choso could only scratch their heads and speculate according to what Aoi replied to Takada on the phone:
"Mhm."
"Yes..."
He gasped, "...I-Is that so?"
"We'll head out immediately." He nodded.
"Thank you, as always, Takada-chan." He hung up with a grateful smile.
Yuji was the first to voice out his confounded state, "Did something happen to Takada or..."
Choso wasn't asking questions, he saw the grave state on Aoi's expression and rose up immediately, "Where to?"
"Musutafu Juvenile Detention Center," Aoi announced with an apprehensive yet serious frown.
Yuji and Choso exchanged wary looks but nodded nonetheless.
'This must be an emergency.' They thought in unison, utilizing their Brother-Telepathy.
-------------------------------
The financial state of the brothers never allowed them to use anything beyond cheap public transport.
However, this was an emergency.
With Choso's immediate agreement to utilize their joint bank account savings for a cab, the three brothers arrived in front of the entrance of the Musutafu Juvenile Detention Center.
A large, rather modern, and well-funded building.
Many windows and classrooms, living quarters, and most notably:
A solid, rather high-tech gate due to varying Quirks capable of... property damage and guards.
On the entrance gate, leading to the building, signs and posters of 'Takada's Re-education and charity performance' brought a tear to Aoi's eye.
But he was unfazed, her schedule was fully memorized in his mind.
Choso and Yuji got the short memo, but disbelief laced their expression nonetheless.
They had to see it, to believe it.
Their steady steps echoed on the paved path, the reinforced steel gate as the entrance gate began to open.
The open gate greeted their gaze with three individuals.
The shining, beautiful, immaculate, and glorious visage of Takada-chan radiating pure kindness and wisdom.
A guard.
And finally...
"Aoi-kun, Yuji-kun, Choso-kun... talk to him." She empathetically stated, a warm almost tearful smile on her face.
Aoi nodded with a smile and began to approach the small dwarfish boy.
A boy with purple balls on his head.
Yuji and Choso approached as well, but confusion marred their features.
They didn't recognize him.
Aoi's steps reverberated and rang with deep emotion, as he gently placed his hand on the dwarf boy's shoulder.
Tears trickled down the boy's face at the sight of Aoi and his two brothers.
Aoi whispered, with profound emotion, "You're as short as I remember you..."
And with the very next word...
Yuji and Choso had finally recalled the identity of this short fellow...
"Cousin." Aoi warmly gave his title.
Memories flashed in the minds of Yuji and Choso of their time in Quirk Kindergarten.
They gasped, as the memories gradually resurfaced from the depths of their minds:
The times they all laughed and frolicked among flowers in the rolling hills together with the rest of the Death Womb brothers...
Mineta Minoru, their cousin.
Bad behavior laced the trajectory of his life, even as he played with them in the sand castle and playground, throwing these silly purple balls of his on women of all ages.
Bad, even perverted behavior that had continued to afflict him into his teens.
Separated by this behavior and circumstances unknown... he had ended up in this Juvenile Detention Center.
But now...
-------------------------------
"You were the champion of preschool dodgeball back in our sweet childhoods... Ah, how nostalgic."
"Don't worry, we'll take care of your re-education, my cousin," Aoi promised with a literal waterfall of tears flowing down his cheeks, his hand gently holding the dumbfounded Mineta's shoulder.
His resolve, determination, and depth of emotion in his tone cut through the awkward silence.
Mineta could only gape in utter confusion, mumbling out the words, "Wha? Cousin? Re-education?"
"Fret not. When we are done with you, you will be a paragon of gentlemanly conduct, and we shall once again bask together in the glory of days gone by, my cousin." Aoi nodded matter-of-factly, as he rose back up to his full height.
He lowered his head, "But do remind me... are you still adept at dodgeball?" Aoi's inquiry sent chills down Mineta's spine.
Yet, for some reason, he felt incredibly reassured.
Almost, respected.
A warm, yet foreign feeling indeed.
...
Back in the control room, a collective deadpan rang out from most of the class.
They didn't have to hear what words were exchanged - but the simple facial expressions of Aoi told them all they had to know.
"So he's not going to beat him up?" Sero had a slightly disappointed tone.
"Yeah, I was expecting some spice - considering he slapped him just a second ago." Kaminari nodded in agreement.
Nodding in pure acknowledgment and understanding, Ashido gave her profound conclusion, "I see... it's a 'weirdo recognizes weirdo' scenario."
"Calling him a weirdo is a bit too nice of you, I'd prefer the 'Pervert' label." Jiro scoffed.
...
"Todo-san evaluates people based on their taste in men or women, and if he finds your answer boring, he'll punch you, or so Itadori-chan told me, ribbit." Tsuyu nonchalantly provided the key information.
Upon the mention of Todo's friend and the one with freakish levels of strength, everyone turned to Yuji.
"So he found his answer to be manly?" Kirishima stroked his chin with a smirk, he seemed more than convinced.
Yuji appeared a little stunned, to which Yaoyoruzu gave him a questioning look.
He shook his head with a perplexed frown, "I feel like I just had an extended family reunion..."
"A family reunion?"
...
All Might stood tall, his stature solid despite the nigh-permanent agony in his abdomen.
Right now, though?
The newest faculty member of U.A. High was incredibly out of his depth.
"I am Plus Ultra confused right now!" He admitted with a scratch of his head.
He truly didn't know how to digest the eccentricism of Todo Aoi.
Truth be told, he's somewhat relieved he's not the only one stuck in that boat.
As Aizawa and Todo's fellow classmates had shown.
With a nod and a firmer toothy grin, All Might's voice boomed.
"LET THE BATTLE TRIAL BEGIN! HEROES! YOU HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES TO STOP THE VILLAINS FROM SUCCEEDING IN THEIR DEVILISH PLANS!"
-------------------------------
At the thunderous announcement of All Might, Team D immediately shot into action.
And, rather quickly - their lack of chemistry became apparent.
"Wait, Bakugo, stay outside it's dangerous, let me-" Todoroki's face tightened as he called out to the explosive boy.
"SHUT UP AND DON'T STAND IN MY WAY! I'LL CRUSH THEM BOTH MYSELF!" Bakugo propelled himself forward with his hands behind his back, immediately making his way into the building.
Todoroki huffed helplessly but continued with his plan nonetheless.
Nodding, he entered the building nonchalantly and unbothered, placing his right hand on the wall.
"As long as we win, it won't matter if he's caught by it." He affirmed to himself as ice began to spread from the palm of his hand, spreading violently and swiftly across the entire building.
First, it covered the wall.
Then, it spread and covered the entire floor, and then it spread further and further.
Until the entire building was covered in ice.
Midflight and across the first floor, Bakugo ceased his explosion-induced flight to momentarily gape in shock at the ice that covered the ground, walls, and ceiling.
He already knew Todoroki wasn't an extra, but...
'This range...' He noted mentally.
Exhaling a cold breath, he immediately collected himself and asked, "ARE YOU MESSING WITH ME? HALF AND HALF BASTARD?!" He snarled.
He pointed at the distant steps that were slowly approaching him, to which Todoroki appeared from one of the many maze-like hallways that decorated this building.
"I warned you." He retorted without care, his approaching steps reverberating in the glacial hall.
Passing by the stupefied and snarling Bakugo, Todoroki continued his search for the next floor and the bomb.
To which he was quickly followed by the snarling Bakugo who suppressed the cold shiver from the icy temperature, "THE GORILLA'S MINE! I'VE GET A SCORE TO SETTLE WITH HIM!" He marked his territory.
Arching an eyebrow, "Considering their quirks and the fact that I had never showcased the range of my ice, I doubt they can move. This Battle Trial is over." He confirmed without a hint of doubt.
Clicking his tongue, Bakugo made no retort as they ascended the building, not a single sign of either Todo or Mineta.
-------------------------------
Todoroki made occasional efforts to maintain the cold temperature that covered the entire building as they ascended, and eventually, they reached the fifth floor.
Their eyes were graced with the usually ice-covered concrete that had spread throughout the entire building.
However, the room they found was different.
No longer a concrete maze of narrow walls and passageways.
A spacious, ice-covered room, with enough space to likely hold a hundred people with ease.
Placed boldly in the center of it was the 'Secret Weapon'.
Their goal.
However, the oddities made themselves apparent.
The entire room was widely and wildly covered with an array of purple balls.
The ice seemed to fail to cover them, and they varied in both placement and density across the room.
Finally... the two 'Villains' stood ready.
They had somehow managed to escape the ice; Todoroki's eyes glided towards four holes in the ice where feet likely lingered.
Mineta stood beside Aoi with a trepid expression and a slight shiver in his figure.
Yet no longer overwhelmed with fear.
A peculiar confidence, given who he was facing.
And Aoi.
Who, much to Todoroki's befuddled surprise... was shirtless.
Amid the freezing cold, Todo Aoi had decided it prudent to tear off his shirt.
Donning a stoic thin line on his face, he raised a palm before Bakugo's grinning figure could blitz towards him.
His heavy, piercing look settled onto Todoroki's figure.
"Before we commence... what is your type of woman? If you like men that's fine too."
The wicked grin on Bakugo's face persisted, as he knew what that question resulted in, so he turned to Todoroki, "Answer him." He demanded with glee and anticipation.
Todoroki blinked sheepishly.
"A girl with a strong will and as long as she isn't a Mutant." He bluntly and truthfully replied.
...
It's a good thing the girls in the control room had no access to the audio like All Might, else they'd have marked him as another black sheep among the growing list in 1-A.
Todoroki's response was carefully evaluated and digested by Aoi.
Tears fell down Aoi's cheek as he shook his head with lament and disappointment.
"I see... how disappointing..."
"You're boring, Todoroki." His declaration of judgment was the mark of the battle's start.
The ground shook and the ice below Aoi cracked, as his hulking body shot toward Todoroki.
His left hand was primed to slam him with a powerful left hook.
With practiced ease, Todoroki's right foot stood resolute, as spikes of ice shot to intercept the fast approaching Aoi.
"HE'S MINE! HALF AND HALF! DEAL WITH THE DWARF!" Bakugo roared his protest as he shot forward from the side, flanking Aoi's left.
"COUSIN! YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!" Aoi shouted aloud, as Mineta nodded and ran to bounce on one of the closest balls he had set up beside him.
Bakugo's gauntlet right arm extended forward to blast Aoi in the face no matter which direction he went.
But, he kept a leash on the release of his explosion quirk for one, simple reason.
As the current Number One of Class 1-A.
Bakugo Katsuki had kept a keen and close eye on this boy's Quirk.
And just as he had expected, it was the correct choice to hold back.
Aoi's hands met with a resonating clap, and much to Bakugo's dismay, he switched places with Aoi.
The sea of ice fast approaching Bakugo was inches away from him, as he snarled and quickly blasted the brunt of it.
"DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!" He rapidly released explosions to deal with the ice.
Nevertheless, Todoroki's ice was a wide-range attack as the brunt that Bakugo had blasted away to defend himself still continued to reach towards Aoi and the perplexing bouncing figure of Mineta.
Mineta was, from his own efforts, bouncing from ball to ball as best he could.
Gaining speed, and momentum.
Each time he found himself about to miss a bounce, he threw a ball to land on, though his head had begun to bleed as he gritted his teeth through the pain.
A spine-chilling, almost manic smirk formed on Aoi's face as the ice quickly approached to meet both him and Mineta.
Another clap resonated, and Todoroki's rapidly approaching glacier approach had stopped in its tracks, given Aoi's suddenly disrupting him.
Todoroki shook his head and scanned his surroundings.
The useless Mineta still strangely bouncing around the room, gaining momentum.
Aoi was running towards him with frightening speed.
And Bakugo was just about done with the ice and was rapidly approaching... Todoroki.
An impressive battle awareness.
Nevertheless, Todoroki made a slide of ice to reach the 'Secret Weapon', given he was now closer thanks to Aoi's clap.
Aoi drew a tiny piece of concrete out of his pocket and oddly threw it towards Todoroki's trajectory.
And without hesitation...
He clapped once more.
Bakugo had expected that Aoi would switch places with Todoroki.
That was what he managed to surmise of Aoi's Quirk, 'Boogie Woogie'.
However...
It was only based on what he'd seen thus far.
Todoroki's slide had continued, as Bakugo's palm crackled with explosive energy.
The clap...
Had replaced the small piece of concrete thrown toward Todoroki.
With a purple bullet named - Mineta.
Todoroki's eyes widened marginally as he tried to put a stop to his slide.
But the bullet was too fast, as a reverberating impact and pain sunk into Todoroki's abdomen.
The tear-filled roar and screech of Mineta rumbled the building as his head impacted Todoroki.
"ULTIMATE COUSIN COLLABORATION MOVE - GRAPE BULLET!"
Todoroki guffawed loudly as he and Mineta easily pierced through the ice slide and embedded themselves in the concrete wall with a considerable crater.
Bakugo's explosion followed, but it easily missed the two figures who flew past a great distance.
Before Todoroki could gather his bearings, with blood and tears flowing down his body, Mineta drew a few more balls out of his head, rapidly and wildly throwing them at the right side of Todoroki.
Regaining his bearings, Todoroki ground his teeth from the pain and tried to rise up.
Only to realize that his entire right side was glued to the concrete thanks to the purple balls sticking to him.
Attempting to rip them off with his left side was for naught, as it only served to trap him even further.
"STAY STILLLLL FOR FUCKSSSS SAKEEEEEEEE!" Mineta roared as he withdrew the special tape and was going to wrap Todoroki with it.
Todoroki's right foot began to send rapid, panicked waves of ice toward Mineta whose face grew pale.
A clap resonated, and one of the purple balls beside Todoroki was replaced by Aoi, who swiftly withdrew his own tape and with his left hand lifted Mineta aside with ease, and with his right was about to capture the ice boy...
Until the snarling Bakugo shot toward him.
"LIKE HELL I'LL LET YOU DO THAT!" Bakugo retorted as he flew with vigor and a vendetta toward the devious and tricky duo.
But he was too late.
Even as fear, pain, and cold struck his figure, Mineta fought through the terror that coursed through his body and jumped out of Aoi's hand and wrapped the tape around Todoroki to quickly complete the capture before the Quirk Monster regathered his bearings.
Why?
Because he trusted his teammate.
His... cousin?
'What's wrong with me?' He couldn't help but question as a sense of calmness and confidence crossed his features, having been infected by the Todo Influence & Presence.
"TRY AND GET AWAY FROM THIS!" Bakugo roared out a rather threatening announcement, as he flew midair with his right hand reaching for the pin on his left gauntlet and...
"YOUNG BAKUGO! DON'T!" All Might's panicked demand went on deaf ears.
Luckily and much to Bakugo's dismay, as he was about to unleash all the explosive force thanks to the sweat stored in his gauntlet...
A clap resonated, and Bakugo found himself a great distance away, milliseconds away from blowing up the entire room.
Swapped by nothing in particular, as rage overtook his visage.
His face grew red with fury, as he noted Aoi's broad and amused grin.
All Might's relieved yet excited voice boomed into the communication device of the participants.
"Shoto Todoroki of Team D, CAPTURED! DO NOT MOVE OR ACT! YOU ARE DONE FOR THE TRIAL!"
Todoroki could only stare in befuddlement at the small dwarf and hulking shirtless eccentric beside him, as he held back a pained and frustrated groan.
"Holy shit... I- we beat him?" He pointed at the similarly shocked Todoroki.
A shit-eating grin formed on Mineta's face, as he taunted, "Well, well, well. I could have never imagined in my wildest dreams that the mighty Ice Quirk would fall to something like this... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!" His laughter resonated in the icy room.
To which, Todoroki could only mull and deadpan in silence.
He wasn't sure what was worse, the physical or psychological damage for such an embarrassing way to get disqualified.
He could only look apologetically at Bakugo's trembling figure.
Indeed, Bakugo's and especially Todoroki's miscalculation was two-fold.
Firstly, Boogie Woogie does not only switch with people but with objects as well.
Case in point...
'He switched me with a ball that dwarf's quirk made, placed strategically in the corners of the room...' The furious Bakugo had yet to lose his bearings.
Secondly, they had underestimated the sturdiness and danger of being caught up in Mineta's Quirk.
"You were right Todo! He's only using his right side!" Mineta cheered with joy, his hands on his hips with pride.
A shiver went down Todoroki's spine as he shot a cold glare at Aoi, "You... how do you know that?"
Aoi's snort echoed, "Basic observation on your performance in the Quirk Assessment Test. Ice never left your left side, even when it would seem far more convenient and efficient to release ice with the left."
He then concluded, "Furthermore, in my research, I, of course, came across the Number Two Hero, Endeavor. His surname is also Todoroki and you are a recommended student."
"His obsession with All Might is widely known, I wouldn't be surprised if your left side carries flames, does it not?" Aoi had a knowing grin, as he voiced out his observations.
"Regardless of whatever Quirk you might have had, with your boring taste verified - your defeat was inevitable." Aoi shook his head in clear and utter disappointment.
...
Todoroki's features darkened as he was about to reply, only for a shout to stop him.
"COME AT ME! BOTH OF YOU AT THE SAME TIME! I'LL TAKE BOTH OF YOU BASTARDS DOWN!" Bakugo demanded.
Aoi met Bakugo's challenging grin with his own, "WITH PLEASURE!"
Immediately, Aoi made eye contact with the gloating Mineta, who now grew a little fearful at Bakugo's rather scary declaration.
"IF YOU CONTINUE TO ALLOW SUCH COWARDICE TO RULE YOU, I FEAR YOU AND I WILL NO LONGER BE FRIENDS!" He announced as he threw another small piece of concrete he had pocketed, clapping to exchange places and...
Slap him.
"OW!"
"Do you understand that fear damages your thinking and creative imagination faculties? It is with those two that one can thrive with Quirks such as ours." Aoi patiently lectured, as Bakugo launched towards them with a booming explosion.
About to reach them in an instant.
"Yeah... sorry." Mineta apologized with a nod and the purple dwarf immediately ran towards one of the balls, bouncing to begin gathering momentum.
And just like that, Aoi squarely met Bakugo's swiftly approaching figure with a grin.
"NO MORE SWITCHING AROUND! I'LL MURDER YOU HEAD-ON!" His eyes never narrowed down on the 'Secret Weapon' and goal.
A single, narrow-sighted focus crossed Bakugo's eyes.
He wasn't here to, 'win' with some bullshit.
He's here to become number one.
And so, he shot towards Aoi with a blinding explosion behind him, arriving before him in an instant.
The palms of his hands crackled with built-up nitroglycerin as it lit up, aimed squarely at the hulking, grinning figure of Aoi.
Aoi stood as Bakugo's frustrating and tricky opponent.
He wasn't equipped with a Quirk suited for frontal combat like Bakugo's explosion.
Thus...
Surely Aoi would utilize his Quirk to disengage and disorientate, perhaps regroup with Mineta to take on Bakugo in a two-on-one match?
...
Bakugo's eyes widened as Aoi's hulking figure moved at a speed that betrayed his size.
A powerful right hook and a menacing grin met his explosive palms without hesitation.
Bakugo's surprise was swiftly exchanged with a sinister grin, "CRAZY BASTARD AREN'T YOU?!" He roared as a bright light and spark lit up from both his hands.
And, much to his shock...
Aoi's left hand shot out at a blinding speed, clapping one of Bakugo's explosive palms with complete disregard for the high temperature that bordered on insanity and an absurd resistance to pain.
The explosion had left Bakugo's palms, blasting away a large amount of concrete and creating a cloud of smoke that blinded vision, managing to miss the bouncing Mineta as well.
Bakugo's prodigious instincts roared out to him to duck below a kick from Aoi who had switched with another one of those infuriating purple balls.
Clicking his tongue, Bakugo countered with a single palm of his primed at Aoi's extended leg, trying to break him apart, piece by piece.
Once again, though...
As light and sparks lit up in his palm, the grinning Aoi used his hand to clap away once more.
Appearing behind the frustrated yet concentrated figure of Bakugo once more.
'THE DAMNED BASTARD'S USING ME!' His mind roared in dismay.
This time, however, Bakugo was much too slow to react, as a firm grip held him.
Before he knew it, a loud ringing pain was felt, as he found himself on the ground.
Aoi's hulking body having German-suplexed him into the ground.
"DO YOU EVEN NEED ME?!" The speeding bullet asked with genuine relief as it bounced from one ball to another as Bakugo lay on the ground.
...
Aoi stood solidly beside the figure of Bakugo, whose head was bashed into the ground, "Is that all you had?" He hummed in disappointment.
A light appeared and with it, a furious roar, "LIKE HELL IT ISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"
The entire floor trembled, as a powerful explosion shot from where Bakugo had lay in.
Aoi backed off casually with Cursed Energy reinforcing his limbs.
The tickmark and bulging veins on Bakugo's forehead and his snarl were only the tip of the iceberg of his rage.
His fingers quickly traced the contraption in his gauntlet, aiming to let loose a mighty explosion with complete disregard for everything around him.
Aoi's grin persisted even in the face of the gauntlet about to be pulled, as Bakugo screamed, "YOU CAN'T SWITCH WITH ANYTHING WHEN I BLAST IT ALL AWAY!"
Bakugo knew that was false - given that he was also a target of being swapped.
But he didn't care, he'd handle his own explosion, since it's his own quirk.
He's just too mad right now.
Pulling the handle of his gauntlet, all the built-up sweat lit up in the palm of Bakugo's hands and an all-encompassing explosion aimed at Aoi and Mineta left his gauntlet.
"YOUNG BAKUGO, I SAID STOP!"
All Might's protest, once more, fell on deaf ears.
"BAKUGO! DON'T YOU'LL-" Even the disqualified Todoroki had voiced out his protest but for differing reasons.
A thunderous boom echoed as it swiftly spread throughout the room to consume both students.
Said loud boom had muffled the sound of two rather inconspicuous claps.
The smoke cleared, and much to Bakugo's dismay...
"The 'Secret Weapon' has been destroyed! The winners are... Villain Team! TEAM G!"
All Might's announcement rang aloud in the communication device of all the students.
The smoke cleared, revealing an almost completely charred and destroyed room, the 'Secret Weapon' is but an exploded husk of metal and water from the melted ice.
Bakugo's figure trembled as his eyes looked on in stupefied shock at what he had done.
It was so bad, he didn't react to...
The speeding figure of Mineta was caught and then thrown with a robust swing by one Todo Aoi, careening through the air towards him.
Mineta with tears in his eyes cried out the name of the move that Aoi had told him about.
The small purple bullet whizzed through the air, Aoi's throwing strength demonstrating prowess beyond his Quirk:
"ULTIMATE MOVE! MIDDLE SCHOOL BASEBALL NATIONALS HOME RUN!"
Utilizing Bakugo's shock, he could only turn around and be met with Mineta's head striking him squarely in the face.
Sending him flying and, promptly knocking him out at the disturbingly accurate impact.
Bakugo's figure slammed into one of the remaining ice-covered concrete walls, cratering it with his figure and cracking the ice.
He slid to the floor unconcious, leaning on the wall like a puppet whose strings were cut.
...
"YOUNG MINETA! YOUNG TODO! THAT WAS COMPLETELY UNECESSARY! THE TRIAL WAS WON!" A loud chastising tone boomed in the communication devices, as Mineta landed on the ground with a shocked expression.
...
"HOLY SHIT WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Mineta cried out his victorious roar, completely ignoring the chastisation of All Might.
To which the latter could only frown in anxiety, "Am I doing this whole teaching thing badly?" He wondered to himself, forgetting to mute his microphone.
Aoi replied with a satisfied smirk, "It is the glory of victory, All Might-sensei, there is nothing wrong with your methods as of yet."
Approaching Mineta, the two disproportionately sized boys made eye contact.
A manly handshake was exchanged between them as the U.A. Robots made their way to pick up the unconcious Bakugo and silent Todoroki.
The latter protested, "I'm fine." He waved off the approaching robot, only to turn to Mineta, "Can you remove these?" He couldn't get up.
Mineta approached from afar, silently picking up the balls, a degrading, mocking sneer on his face which Todoroki could only take with a frown.
Rising up, he turned to glare at Aoi with vehemence, "Next time. I'll win." He turned around, ignoring the pain in his abdomen, and walked toward the exit of the building.
Making sure to melt the ice that had mostly covered the building with his left foot.
"I will never lose to a boring man of boring taste who tastelessly holds back," Aoi replied matter-of-factly.
Todoroki made no retort as he left, pausing for but an instant to clench his fists.
...
"Think I should be worried?" Mineta pointed at himself.
Another slap echoed.
"STOP THAT! HOW CAN YOU SLAP ME WITH THAT BURNT HAND OF YOURS?!"
"Cease your cowardice, cousin." Aoi sternly replied.
"Young Todo, do you not need medical attention?" All Might inquired through the communication device.
Evaluating his burnt palm with an eerie calmness, Aoi shook his head, "It's only second-degree burns, nothing to worry about."
-------------------------------
The reactions from the spectating side of Class 1-A were filled with excitement and awe.
It was that much of a spectacle.
"I can't believe they beat those two powerhouses, ribbit..." Even the nonchalant Tsuyu expressed her earnest shock.
Toru cheered, "Yeah! He was all like- CLAP! And Bakugo didn't know what to do." She imitated with her gloved invisible hands.
Ida lowered his helmeted head, "He switched with objects, not just people... how deceptive."
"His Quirk's completely bullshit! How is someone supposed to beat him? Boogie Woogie my ass..." Kaminari voiced out honestly.
Kirishima nodded, "I'd be pretty disoriented trying to hit him and predict when he'd switch places and with what... not to mention he was so manly as to use Bakugo's explosive hands to clap! He scorched his palm for an advantage!" He expressed his honest admiration.
...
"You don't look surprised, Itadori-san," Yaoyorozu stated matter of factly.
Scratching his head, "Aoi's got a lot of experience, so I sort of figured that fighting against inexperienced guys regardless of their impressive Quirk would have ended like this." He admitted.
Frowning, she added with a nervous note, "Experience-"
Her words were cut off by All Might's call to attention.
"All right students! Does anyone want to tell me who is the MVP for this match?"
...
A collective deadpan formed on everyone's faces.
Whilst Aoi was most definitely an eccentric bordering on insanity...
His prowess and strategic soundness could not be argued with by anyone present:
""Todo-san."" They voiced in unison.
-------------------------------
After that almost theatrical first Battle Trial and the loss of the 'Powerhouse Quirks', an electrifying excitement and tension coursed through the air.
This battle had shown - even with less than stellar Quirks, one may defeat vastly superior combat-oriented Quirks with proper strategy and synergy.
Thus, the trials continued as per ceremony:
Battle Trial 2:
Villains: Fumikage Tokoyami & Kyoka Jiro.
Heroes: Tenya Ida & Yuga Aoyama.
Winners - Villain Team.
It was a close battle, but with Jiro's hearing reconnaissance and Dark Shadow's defensive posturing, even Ida's ultimate move, 'Recipro Burst' failed to grasp the weapon, whilst Aoyama wasn't able to properly handle his Quirk for a prolonged time due to the aching backlash leading to their loss.
He didn't manage to twinkle enough to take advantage of Tokoyami's unknown light weakness.
Unfortunate.
...
Battle Trial 3:
Villains: Koji Koda & Tsuyu Asui.
Heroes: Toru Hagakure & Rikido Sato.
Winners - Hero Team.
A rather anticlimactic battle, with Toru managing to sneak and touch the bomb whilst Sato caused a commotion and Koda's birds failed to notice the completely invisible Toru as Tsuyu struggled to hold back the sugar-rushed induced strength from bulldozing past her.
Battle Trial 4:
Villains: Denki Kaminari & Hanta Sero
Heroes: Mezo Shoji & Ochaco Uraraka
Winners - Hero Team.
A very close battle, with Uraraka managing to give an opening for Shoji with her Zero Gravity Quirk for him to float towards the weapon - the girl having been electrocuted unconcious by Kaminari and Sero capturing her.
With Kaminari being in a dumb state due to the backlash, Sero had to try and stop the floating Shoji, but using his ability to grow more limbs and appendages, he kicked himself toward the weapon for victory, slicing apart the tape aiming to disrupt him.
And thus...
The final battle trial was loudly announced by All Might.
-------------------------------
"Team A as the Villain Team, against Team B as the Hero Team!" All Might announced.
"Head to Battle Building C! You four!"
The four individuals in question had already known this would be the outcome, given the process of elimination.
Team A - Yuji Itadori & Momo Yaoyorozu.
Team B - Eijiro Kirishima & Mina Ashido.
Kirishima flexed his muscular hand and grinned towards Yuji and Yaoyorozu, "Let's have a good match, you two!"
Ashido nodded with a cheeky grin of her own, "We'll beat you! PinkMight!"
"Delusional." Aoi retorted with a snort and a shake of his head.
"Oi! A girl can hope!" Toru chastised.
Ashido nodded eagerly, pointing at Aoi, "If anything, you shouldn't be saying that! You and Mineta-san proved to us that brute force isn't a guarantee for victory!" She gave her parting words as she headed out.
Yuji nodded as well and headed out with Yaoyorozu, Aoi's parting words audible for all to hear.
"That is true, but within acceptable proportion. You are not capable of handling his level of brute force... no one here can but All Might." His words were carried with an air of indisputable certainty.
...
"A girl's hope beats all! Blegh!" She voiced out with her invisible tongue as she approached the busy figure of All Might who was checking in on the students sent to Recovery Girl.
"All Might-sensei, since we're done with our fights, can we head out?" She insinuated with a cutesy voice.
Tilting his head, All Might regarded her with a thoughtful look, "Right, Young Hagakure. I have been briefed on your situation. While it is a shame you are not here to review the last Battle Trial, your results have been written for review. You and Young Jiro may leave." He gestured at the both of them.
Nodding thankfully, she grabbed Jiro and promptly ran off.
"Isn't it rude to leave Mina here?"
"One of us needs to show attendance!"
...
Narrowing his eyes, Kaminari voiced out his thoughts at the sudden bolting of his two classmates, "Suspicious..."
Rubbing his hands together, Mineta grinned, "Hehe~ I wonder what those two are up to-"
A slap reverberated once more.
"FOR FUCKS SAKE, I WAS JOKIN-"
"It is in poor taste, my cousin. Do you wish to be reprimanded more harshly? I will not have you going to Jouvie once more for Sexual harassment."
"I NEVER WENT THERE!"
"Poor thing... repressing the experience, I understand completely." Aoi nodded with a solemn look.
"You boys are cousins?" Tsuyu inquired bluntly and innocently.
"Yes."
"NO!"
-------------------------------
Standing beside the 'Secret Weapon', Yuji stood with a neutral expression, whilst Yaoyorozu held a firm and concentrated thin line.
"Your Quirk was Blood Manipulation... the one that allowed you to showcase levels of strength comparable to All Might's?"
Yuji nodded, "Yeah, I can also heal myself, condense the blood to shoot out a high-pressure blood beam thingy and I can bring down this whole building if we need to." He innocently and freely gave her the requested information with a raised fist.
Sweatdropping, she smiled politely, "T-That won't be necessary."
"As you know, my Quirk is called Creation."
Yuji nodded with an awed expression, "Yeah! Super cool! You can like... make whatever you want... I wish I had that Quirk." He genuinely praised her with a thumbs-up
Her face dusting lightly in red at the praise, Yayorozu waved him off, "It's nothing that awe-inspiring, it has a lot of downsides..."
"For example, I can not fully utilize it, with restrictions to costumes and exposed skin-" She gestured at her costume.
"Yeah, it's a shame you need exposed skin to use it, I'd guess you're pretty uncomfortable." Yuji nodded empathetically, making sure not to look.
Tilting her head innocently, Yaoyorozu elaborated, "Uncomfortable? No, I meant I need more exposed skin to perfectly utilize my Quirk. It is much the same case as with Kirishima-san."
...
"Uh-huh." Yuji deadpanned.
"Anyway, after a thorough analysis of the last battle trials, and of what I have managed to gather regarding Ashido-san and Kirishima-san's Quirks, on top of us being on the Villain Side..."
"I believe it is most advisable to set up a choke point in a hallway leading into here; I can set up traps after the choke point by creating them with my Quirk. I will also surround the bomb with mirrors to hide it since we can't move it and-"
She paused noticing Yuji's brain melting at the utterance of the plan.
He genuinely requested, "Can you just tell me what to do? I kinda lost ya, hehe." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.
Blinking, she shook her head helplessly, a pacifying smile forming on her lips, "It's alright, Itadori-san. So here's what you'll do..."
She then briefed Yuji on the practical and simpler parts of the plan - particularly his role.
-------------------------------
As friends from middle school and fairly familiar with one another, it could be argued that the synergy and chemistry as teammates that Ashido and Kirishima had are second to none when compared to the others who weren't familiar with one another.
Todo and Mineta were exceptions to this, though.
Nevertheless, Ashido was one of the figures that inspired Kirishima to be who he is today, one of those responsible for the forging of his new, manly resolve.
With a broad smile, he ran through the hallways, eager to prove himself - to win.
Ashido was by his side, sliding on a non-corrosive acid she created from her feet.
They had a good ten minutes left out of fifteen, and have ascended a cool four floors in that time.
Usually, the 'Secret Weapon' was set in a spacious room nestled either in Floors 5 or 6, so they were getting close.
Turning a corner, being the faster of the two, Ashido slid to a stop, as her usual eager and confident smile lowered to a thin line.
Kirishima turned it as well, stopping alongside her.
There he stood...
Yuji Itadori.
While Todo Aoi undeniably scored Number One in the Entrance Exam.
This boy scored Number One on the Quirk Assessment Test.
His physical prowess was on another level, even compared to their classmates who held Quirks which improved their physical attributes.
It is no wonder, that he got the nickname - PinkMight.
Clapping his hardened fist atop his palm he refused to be cowardly.
Kirishima chose to be courageous, to be manly, "Any traps set up here? Pretty manly of you here to confront us on your own." He grinned broadly.
Ashido mirrored his expression, as she whispered to him, "Stay away from my acid, you know the plan." She gave him a thumbs-up.
They had a plan for PinkMight, after all.
Yet, although the air was competitive and all.
Yuji's countenance and visage sent a shiver down their spines.
The epitome of neutral, completely at ease.
Completely calm.
As if this wasn't anything out of the ordinary.
His body language radiated...
Confidence And Experience.
-------------------------------
The scene on the screen was nothing short of a massacre wrought in broad daylight.
The moment Kirishima took a single step forward, his body hardened instinctively with his Quirk.
Yuji was already in front of him, his right fist digging into his solid abdomen.
He hadn't hit Kirishima like a truck like he had expected, as Kirishima had planned to use that opportunity to tightly latch onto Yuji so Ashido could move on without issue.
Yuji had hit him with the force of a freight train.
The reinforced abdomen cracked lightly, as Kirishima coughed up blood, sent flying beyond the concrete wall of the Battle Center and plummeting from the fifth floor.
Yuji's eyes widened in a momentary panic as he shot towards the plummeting Kirishima, catching him with a crack on the ground as he landed, and softly letting him down.
Coughing up blood, Kirishima hadn't been knocked out unconcious, "D-Damn, man. You're ruthless." He mumbled out in pain.
"S-Sorry, dude." Yuji genuinely apologized, as he looked around to see an approaching robot.
"Nah, It's all good. Your punch was too manly for me... I think I've done my job." Kirishima flashed a toothy grin amid the agony, giving Yuji a thumbs-up as the robot picked him up.
"Eijiro Kirishima disqualified due to injury!" All Might's voice boomed into the communication device in the recording.
...
The camera switched to Ashido avoiding the rubber bullets machine gun rather skillfully as her left hand limped from Yaoyorzu's prior traps she avoided.
Only for a whirlwind and a speeding bullet to grasp her attention as she barely reacted to Yuji suddenly appearing and slamming her with restrained strength to the ground.
Yaoyorzu could only blink as Ashido tried to let loose acid but was far too slow before finding herself wrapped in the special capture tape before it could reach and harm Yuji.
...
The recording closed, as Nezu gulped a mouthful of tea with a curious expression on his face as he sat in his office.
He turned around to regard the fascinating Human Boy that sat in front of him, who similarly took a sip of the offered tea.
"Now I understand the meaning of your prior approach."
"You'd have preferred to reveal this fact yourself, rather than me digging and figuring it out myself, had you not?"
The boy snorted, "What fact are you possibly alluding to, rodent?" He gave another elegant sip of the quality tea.
"The fact that you, Aoi Todo, and Yuji Itadori are far more experienced than you let on. Those scars didn't simply come with your birth, had they?" Nezu gleefully inquired, a wicked smirk on his face.
"Nonsense. You would have dug into our history regardless of my own machinations."
"I wager you had already done so, had you not? Check." Aoi moved a piece on the chessboard that had already sat between the two of them since the start of their little meeting.
Chuckling innocently, Nezu admitted, "You are quite the unique Human. I cannot clearly picture your purpose, your end goal."
"All of you are simple, easily read. Humans hide their intentions in many ways. In plain sight, in opposite behavior, insinuation, direction..."
"But you? I cannot figure you out."
"I am the simplest of them all. But one cannot expect a rodent to understand a Human."
"Hahaha! I am the Principal you know? I can remove you from my educational establishment if I so wished for being so disrespectful with your speech." He moved his own piece, removing the check.
...
Aoi was unimpressed, completely unfazed by the subtle threat as he kept his composed silence.
"You know, Todo, you didn't need to cause trouble to have a conversation with me. You need only ask, it is always a unique experience to converse with you." Nezu nonchalantly mentioned.
"I find it discomforting that losing is a novel experience for a rodent." Aoi shook his head in genuine shame, as he moved another piece and...
"Checkmate."
Arching an eyebrow, and sighing in sheer disappointment at another loss, "How much do you know about me? Todo?"
Sipping his tea, Aoi replied the truth, "No more than the ordinary layman."
"I find that to be distrustful. I have read your unpublished thesis, a fascinating one indeed."
"Indeed you have, but Quirk Experimentation on animals was only scientific conjecture. I had not dove in nor sought out further information on the matter, it served no more purpose in the writing of my paper." He folded his arms.
Scoffing, Nezu changed the subject, referring to the thesis, "Quite the controversial piece, I'd recommend against its publication."
"Delayed publication." Aoi corrected.
"All the higher-ups of Japan and even foreign interest have kept their eyes on the current Hero-Villain landscape we currently live in. Everyone with a small semblance of intellect knows and is preparing for what's to come."
"I would agree with you, but this thesis holds information that would serve the benefits of Villains as well as Heroes and the public." Nezu asserted.
"The aim is the improvement of Japan Quirk Society. One cannot eliminate Crime, one can only aim to minimize it. The censoring of information like this would serve the opposite purpose."
"You cannot stop Villains from adapting to the times, from growing smarter. Better tackle a Villain with methods you know of, than one with unknown means."
"Furthermore, this thesis will prove fruitful to all the regular laymen who cluelessly live in the fantastical illusion of All Might's brilliant light covering them for the rest of their lives."
Aoi took another sip of his tea.
"Unaware..."
Pausing for dramatic effect, he continued.
"That the worst has yet to come, as the truly intelligent, young, ambitious, and hungry Villains eagerly await his coming retirement, sharpening their claws and concentrating their forces."
...
"Which bodes the question."
"What is a Villain?"
"Something as rudimentary as a 'bad' person?"
"Or a person, perhaps a civil movement, overcome in its dissatisfaction with the current status quo and eager to change it, whether it be by force, or by slow, insidious manipulation that spreads like poison, seeping into the veins of society, until it takes root in its very heart?"
To Be Continued!
-Author Note Start-
Damn.
The only way I could have kept my promise that this'll be the last chapter of this 'First Day' arc would be with an 8,000-word jumpscare.
Well, I kept my promise, didn't I?
Anyway!
Choso time baby!
ONE FOR ALL FRIERS ON - 1,000,000%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love ya! Cya! Bu Bye!
I'll also appreciate any and all constructive criticism and feedback regarding the characters that appear in this fic (Especially my representation of the Bruzzahs.)